Dust-collecting system for grain-elevator garners



May 31,1927. 4 DLBUDD 1,630,780

. DUST COLLECTING SYSTEM FOR GRAIN ELEVATOR GAMERS Filed Jan.15, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 1 DUST COLLECTING SYSTEM FOR GRAIN ELEVAIOR GARNERS Filed Jan.15, 14925 4 Sheets-$heet 2 May 31,1927;

mauve T. D. BUDD ET AL.

DUST COLLECTING SYSTEM FOR GRAIN ELEVATOR GARNERS Filed Jan. 15. 1925 4 Sheotg-Shet :5

h N 7% g; 2%

v a i \P Haj; 1; 1 film I Q 7%? Z mm EJ373755 May 31, 1927;

T. D. BUDD ETAL.

DUST COLLECTING SYSTEM FOR GRAIN ELEVATOR GARNERS Filed Jan. 15, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 4 a v a I l K CY i? I 7 J U I r 1 3| [five/429m L. I A Wi'ZZzwm iii/aways.

withdrawing dusttherefrom ancl 'returning,

Patented May 31,d1927.f

"I rHoMAsD. Bonn Ann WILLIAM It. stuns, ononloaeog nninorsi r nUs ooLLEc'rrnG SYSTEM"non 'enaiiwnnnvncroniearmnns.

7, Application filed January Our invention relates to improvements in tion system for grain elevators and the like andhas for; one object to'provide means for circulating. the dust laden air to and through the garner scale and elevator leg and, for

7 it in the garneiz. Thefneed for this arises from the fact that in grain elevator work, it 15 necessary to maintainahigh "degree 0f accuracy with'regard tothe weight of the grain and if the'circulatingair is allowed to escape carrylng Wltlilt dust that has loeen weighed with 'the grain, "the weight of the grain being handled will change and in'accu racy in the handling, measuring and recording of the grain will result. V

Our invention is therefore adapted to dew crease the liability of; dust explosionstand fire hazards and .for ventilating, collecting the dust and preventing'fthespread of dust 5 inlgrain elevators and the like, andhas for for withdrawing dust therefrom and return-f;

one object. to; provide means. for positively circulating the dust laden air: to; and through the garner,- and provides a-.-pos1t1ve suct1on on the garner, the scale and the' elevator leg ing it to the grain inthe garner-from which it was taken,'and at the same time affords a positive system of ventilation fortheseveral floors of the elevator, including the basement. Furthermore, this escaped dust circulates and accumulates]throughout the various floors of theelevator, including the basement, thuscreating a fire andexplosion hazard, and when and as 1t accumulates-1t has to be're'moved from theelevator-by labor and disposed of, as the rules governing; the handling of grain in'elevators do not permit of the dust being returned tothe grain after its ijdentitvhas beenlost." W

' "Our invention is shown in connection with 7 that part of the grain handling system locate ed at the top of the houseandillustrates the garner and associated parts. Other objectswill appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims. l

Our invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically "in l the accompanying drawings, wherein' I l Figure fl is a diagrammatic side elevation otleg, garner and scale; 3

l ventilating dust collecting and dust preven j the house;

s, r925, seal-mason.

- is a sectionthrough Figure 3 is acsectionalong the F1gure2; Figure 4 FigurejQ;

'Eigure 5iis aideta-il.ofthe controlvalve; f

,F gure 6 is a section alongthe line ;6'26 of Figure 5 r i Figure '7; is a section through the valve:

is a section along thelineH of Likepartsare.indicatedby like characters' 7 throughout the'specification and drawings. r a A, A are-,thewalls of the grain-elevator;

house.- T-hishouse contains bin sections "A 1- A and [a working section A ,Inthe work ing sections'are legs of elevators A3 adapted to raisethe grain and discharge it through screens ii into the garner A whence the grain may be discharged, through openings hopper A The flow {of the grain through these hop pers is. controlled by the garner slid-e B, the

movement of which is controlled'hy; garner levers B on control shafts B which rotate pending downwardly from the hopper lootv toms A? toward the scale hopper-A {G is a dust collector-having'aniair outlet theshafts, the arms B and thus the'garner i I slides. B is a'canvas curtain or apron -de- C for the discharge of clean air iintothe I outer atmosphere and .a-discharge'spout C? adaptedfto discharge dustzintothe garner; C is a'conduitfor dustladenair. leading from the centrifugal f'anaCj and discharging into the rotaryor centrifugal dust collector. f

This fan is driven by a belt C from the pu ls;

ley Q at the top" of each of the legs, there 106 ing one 'le'gfor', each garner and one'cd'ust col-- lector :fan andfconduit forreach leg so that when the/leg stops runningthe displacement of air by the fanw'illalso stop. (3 is a cons dint leading from the topiof the garnerA? to thefan C' 'and-C is a suction duct l-eadin from the top of the gamer to 'theiscale-hop per inside the curtainA'B, so that air I is drawn from the "garner to the fan setting up i a vacuum in the garner and whenthis takes of the conduit which controls the flow of air from the scale hopper to the garner.

The necessity for this valve is obvious because if a suction were placed on the scale hoppelTWhen weighing isrtaking place, the .weighing action would be radlcally interfered with and it is desirable to have a suc t1on then only during the time: when the gram 1s flowlng to the hopper and during the'time when dust ig being created.

The control valve D is adapted to control the 'flow of air through the conduit G to and through the fan anddust collector. This valve is located 'in' a horizontal sleeve D one end of which penetrates the curtain B being attached thereto flanges and bolts as indicated at D to make an air tight joint. 1 The lower part ofthis sleeve is apertured at D ,'the va lvefplate I)? being adaptedto close the aperture. This .valv'e' plate is mounted on a shaftD? having valve lever D and a yoke connection D to the garner slide; When thejplate D is in the dottedline position'sho'wn in Figure 7 ,the operator can look in through the sleeve and through the port int-he curtain to the space beneaththe garner to thespac'ethrough-which"the grain flows to lo okinf he-n'the flow of grain is -ta k-- the garner lever to make his inspections to the scale hopper. The relation between this valve and the garner slide is such that when the garner slide shuts: oil the stop the valve'clo'ses the conduit and obstructs thefiow of lair andpermits "the operator 'ing place the garner slide isopen, the valve is open; the alr'circulates butth'e'operator cannot lookin. The operator to manipulate 7 through the valve sleeve'standson thefioor the operation of the garner-L I The'con'dul't C also has a COD'IIHUDICEI'CIOII D'fwher'e he has control of the weighing fvator in" the leg starts working a suction is putonthe leg and thus there is an ,upfiow of air inthesan e direction as thefiow of grain and an 'in'flow'of airatthe inner leg of the bottom ofthe conveyor leg. There is a tendof the inner leg and thus no dust escapes. Th s s'in sharp contrast with, the normal operation without the fanwhere the buckets ot-the conveyor tend to discharge dust laden a'lr outwardly 1nto the house thus preventlng all of the weight of the. grain from reaching the garner-and being weighed and addngto the fire risk. 7 i

I When the grain is discharged from the garner int-0' the scale. b111, the air displaced i i from the bin will normally rush out-"carrying "dustwith it. This dust ought to be weighed and is notan'd ought not to be distributed around the house because it adds to the fire risk; The suction space ;on the scale bin draws the air out through the dust systemas it is displacedbythe grainand I the dust. The separator returns heavier-particles of-dust back into the grain in the garner from which it came; so' that it is.

we ghed wi l hi .pemeLogr in f which it originated. The dust that is so fine as to be substantially invisible, and which will not settle out of the air; is the dustthatjis so highly-explosive, and thisqis discharged T through the cyclone outlet to 'theoutside *air 7 and thus permanently removed from the grain, the grain dustand' from the elevator in .the one operation. There is some .lOSSTOf dust through the airbecause as noted above the cyclone collector cannot work. at one hundredpercent;efliciency but this dust that is lost' is so fine asto be substantially in visible and it is this dust'which by spreading throughout the house any way so. that v the dust collecting system not only keeps down thefire risk b'ut'thus returns to the grain" a very appreciable part of the dust whichwould otherwise be lost. Thus the weighlng 1s more accurate and there is less out it. v

" The fan loss in weight with 'oursyste-m than with- "draws air from the garner through a relatively small opening ata point adjacent the top of. the garner and well re- 1 moved from the point which the .leg-discharges to 1t. The garner 1s a: comparatively large chamber. and is very large in propor'g the leg or the scale orf any other part of the system and discharges into the'garner carryi-ng a'l-arge' quantityiof dust at relatively high I speed. Theigreat increase in size at the garner p rovidesa primary settling, chamber wvhich is especially adapted for'settlingjbe;

causeof the reduced atmospheric pressure. Then a relativelysmall proportion of fine tion' to the crosssectional area of; the duct leading to the fan; The fan pu-tsa suction on the garner'and thefalrlrushes up through dust only is drawn out through the conduit to the tan and discharged into the'cyclone separator thus making. it possible tohandle very large quantities of grain and get ade-.

quate S-QPEIILtlQlI throughthe cyclone sepa= rator with a comparatively small cyclone. The cyclone thusacts as a secondary, or-fincr separator element.

Thebattle plate X is ginterposedgin garner between the discharge. from: the. leg 7 and the suction outlet from the garner to cause the alr'to take a "tortuous path in the garner and thereby i nprovethe settling 'ef- 7 feet of the" garner or ber. t; .Vtle haveshown. aleg, feedlingto. the conveyor. Obviously the'grain might be, fed

primary settling chamgarne'igan air circulating and d'ust separat-.

means; for returning said 'dust' to the grain to the conveyor by any suitable means from any suitable'source.

Itj' vill be evident that shown in our draWingsLan operative device,

size, shape and arrangement of parts with out departingmaterially from: the spirit of While eume still manychanges might be made in the;

our invention and We Wish, therefore, that our showingbetaken as in a sense-diagram matic.

" We'clairn:

1'. In a grain 'elevator,'a garner, and means for holding therein the grain received thereby, a leg adapted to discharge grain ..to said garner, an air circulating skmddustsep-v arating system associated with" saidleg and garner,'comprising an air vith'drawal' passage 1nv communication with said'garner, means for Withdrawing ;a1r therea-long,

means for separatin' ,g" v dujstrfrom theairso Withdrawn and means for" return ng-said dust to thefgram' ln sald garner. 1

by, a leg adapted to discharge grain to said 2. In a'grain elevator," agarner, and means for holding therein the gram recei -ed there ing system associated With said-leg andgan ner, comprising an air withdrawal passage in communication with said garner, "means for, wlthdrawing arr therealong, means {for separating dust from the air "so Withdrawn,

in I said garner, and means for jdriving Y the air circulating" system in unison with" the leg, so that? when the leg is inoperative' the {air circulating system is also inoperative.

3. In a grain elevator, agarner, and means for holding thereinthe grainreceived thereb v,.a leg adapted 'to' discharge grain tofsaid garner, an air circulating'fand" dust separating system includn'ig'ana r ithdrawal pas- ,sage adapted towitlidralw air "from the gartil) ner. at a point adjacent thedischiirge of grain into said garnerjc-ineansfor ithdrawing air there-along, means for separating dust from the air so Withdrawn andmeans 1 for returning said dust to the grain in said garner. means for controlhnggthe flow of grain from garner-and means, operative in UDISOIIH therew th, for controlllng the flow of dust and separated air.

V ",5. In a grain eljevator, agarner having a flexlbleiapron depending therelcelow, a valve of the garner" an'c sleeve extending througlrth'e apron and nmk 111g an air t1ghtwconnect1onitherewlthyanaircirculating system adapted to 'dravv air" througlr'said sleeve,ja port in .the side of 5 Joy the sleeve and? a valve adapted in one" position toclose'the port and permit circulation ot airithrough'the sleeve andz'in another position' to 'open the port' to"v permit inspection I of the garner and close the sleeve againstair circulation; v

l i g 6. 1 In a grain elevator; agarner having; a flexible apronfdependi-ng therebelowfavalve sleeve extending thro ugh'the apron and mak:-

ing an airtight connection {theretvitl1,jan air circulating 'SystemfTadaptedRto draw 7 air through said sleeve a I port-in" the side ot" the sleeve and a. valve adapted 1in one-position to close the-port andpermit circulationlof air 'through ithe Sleeve5ai1d= .111 another plosi tion toopen the per topermit. inspection I lose? the sleeve-against" I i v g rne r{ slide "adapted. to

' control the flow of grain froni the garner and a Working connection between 'it"andxth'e air I circulation, a a

grain thereto, an 'air (circulating system 111'- cluding a' fan and a dust sep'aratonf'the i115 'take for the system; being located'i'adj-a'cent In a grainelevator, a garner, a garner sllde' adapted to control {thegfiow' of grain therefrom,'anelevator leg adaptedto supplythe discharge frornthe garner -a'ndgmeansfl for discharging separateddust from the je p-1 ara'tor to the garner.

"-8. In ram elevator, 'ja garner, a garner slide adapted to control the flow offgrain I "therefrom, anel'e'vator le adapted tojsuppl'y grain theretofan air circulating system ineluding a fan and ElfdllSlZ separatorythe in take for; the-systembeing "located adjacent the discharge fromthe-garnerand'ineans for dlsch'arglng separated dust 'tromthe separator to the garner,a valve controllmgfthe air] circulation associated with the garnen slide. f]; 9. In a grain elevator, a garner,"a garner slide, adapted to control the flow of grain therefrom, an elevator'leg adaptedflto-supply grailrthereto, ana-ir circulating .systenr'im I eluding afanand a dust separator, the intake for the system being located adjacent the discharge from the garner and vmeans for discharging separated dust from the sap arator torthe garner, adriving connection betiveen the fan andtheg-leg'wherehy fthe I 'f ani operates only 'wh athe leg-fis jin ioperation v 10. In a gram elevator,; a garner, a garner slide adapted to control 'tliehfio w' of grain therefrom 'a-n elevator leg adapted to supply grain thereto, an air circulating system 111*- eluding a fan and a dust' separator,'the intake fOr'the-syStem beinglocated adjacent t d scha e t om't 'ga er; ndmea 't discharging separated dust from i the sep arator to. the garner, a driving connectionhetween the fan and the leg whereby the tan .operatesj'only When-the :leg'is inoperatio'n and valve controlling theair circulation operatedin-unison With the garner, slide.

11. 'A grain handling apparatus comprising a bin, a leg leading'theret-o, and an elevator in thelegdischarging into'the bin,

means operative lllzllIllSOIl with the elevator for maintaining 'reduced pressure-in the leg and thebin 'to prevent discltarge of dust laden air therefrom, said, means comprising a suction system communicating with the garner and the leg 'andan arr fan drlven from the same source; of power as the elevator, a dust SQPEtI'ELtQIZflHlIO'IWhlCh the ant fan discharges ;.adaptedito discharge-the sepa- 'rate'deair-at a point removed from the bin and toreturn the'recovere'd dust to the bin.

4 ,12 In agrain handling apparatus, a garner' bin, a weighing hopper: adapted to receivegraingtron thebini', valves adapted'to control lElIBflOW-"Of gra-inifrom; the bin tothe hopper and means adapted towithdrawair from the hopper at a rate greater than the rate of displacement of air the inflowof Y grain trom thebin.

1 3 In a grainhand-ling apparatus, agarner bin, a weighing hopperadapted to receive grain tromthebin, valves adapted to control the ,fiow'oi grain from thejbin to the when the flow ofg-ra'in is interrupted.

' ner to hopper, a suction system communicat- 14. In a grain elevator, an elevating-leg, a garner into'whichit discharges and a scale hopper intowhich the garner discharges, a valve to control the flow oi grain lirom garner to hopper, a suctionsystem; c,oinmunicatifng with the garner, leg and hopper and 7 an air pump associated therewith, driven in unison with-the conveyor to withdraw dust laden air from the system. Q

15. In-a grain elevator, an elevating leg,

' a garner into which it'd-ischarges and a scale.

hopper into which the garnerqdischarges, a valve to control the flow of grain from garing'with the garner, leg and hopper and an air pump associated therewith, driven in warson wlth the conveyor to withdraw dust laden'air from'the system, adust separator to receivethe dust laden air and to return the dust to the garner... v

, 51 6. In a grain elevator, anelevating leg, a

garner into which; itdischarges andascale hopper into which. tlie garner di scharges, ,a-

valve tosco-ntrol the flow of grain from ga r ner tohopper, a suction system communicatng with the garner, leg and'hoppenand an air pump assoc ated therewith, driven in unison with they conveyor to withdraw dust laden air from the system, V=n1eans associated with the grain and control'valves for automatically connecting the hopper with the suction system when the grain valves are open. e

17.. In a gralnelevator,.means lfor h'an dhn .conve, m and vdistrlbutin rain I b V Q a pneumatic means for withdrawingdust from the grain ata plurality of points during; its travel through the elevator, meansqfor sepa rating the fine highly explosive dust from the balance of the dust withd rawn, and I means for returning the heavydust to the same bodyof grain and for discharging the fine explosive dust from the elevator at ,a point, removed from the bal'anceof the dust and grain. Y 18. In a grain handling apparatus, agarner bin, a weighing {hopper .adaptedltore ceive grain from 1 the bin valves adapted to f control the flow of grainfrom the binhto the hopper and means adapted'fto Withdraw'air from the hopper at arate greate'r thanthe rate of displacement of air by} the inflowlof; grain from the bin,; and meansg-associatedf with thecontrolvalves r01 openinggtheair withdrawal system to {provide a posi tive and visible means to equalize pressureswhen the flow, of grainis' interrupted. 1

-19. Ina grain elevator'syste a-plurality,.o; f grain;v floors and leg, means tor inducing-an air current upw rdlythrough the leg-{and anQinfloWDf air to; the, 'ileg, at every opening therein, means induced and for treating-the. air current thus separating the dust therefrom. V 20. In a grain elevator system in ludingan; levatm including-a.

pluralityof grain floors and an elevator leg,

means for inducing an air, current upwardly throughthe: leg and an inflow. of, air to the leg at every opening therein,-means for treating the air-current thus induced and, separating the dust therefrom andmeans for returning the heavy, dust particles hack .to the same body of grain from which they originated and for discharging the fine explosive dust particles at a pointlremoved. from the grain handling system outside of the ele-- I vator.

1 1 1... conveyor,ia relatively extended chamber into for the conveyor communicating witli'th'e chamber, a. suction: member communicating with the cha-lnber at a pointiremovedirom the point at which the conveyor discharges theretoj andv a se'condary" dust separator adapted to separate dust fromthe air withdrawn from the first or;.primary settling chamben.

22. In a el'evatorya grain, handling conveyor, a relatively extended chamber-into which such conveyor, discharges, a housing for the conveyorcommunicating with-the grain elevatof ja grain handling which such conveyor discharges, a housing chamber, a suction member communicating f with the chamber at, a point removed from the pcint at Whichthe conveyordischarges thereto and a secondary dust separator adapted to separate dust from the airwithjdrawn from the first 'or" primary settling pi'imai'y 'settiirig chamber and i nterp csed V between the suction outlet "and the gfain inlet. I V T I Signed at Chicag0-,.I1lin0is, this 31st day 7 o'f December l924; 5 i r chamber, a baflie plate disposed Within the THOMAS '1). BUDDQ WILLIAM R. .;s1N s. 

